What kind of wildlife do you have around your home?

[TheIncredibles!]

My wife was taking out the dog last night and had the scheiß scared out of her when a black bear casually walked up our driveway towards our barn. It passed about 2 feet from her. The dog briefly growled and the bear ran off.

So what kind of interesting wildlife do you have where you live?

I live in Massachusetts and in addition to bears we have moose (along with all of the other normal critters like squirrels).

I live in NJ and we regularly pick up our garbage from the driveway due to a nuisance juvenile black bear that is terrorizing us. My husband is in the fight of his life over his garbage cans and he’s an engineer so this is just unacceptable to him that he’s getting beat after living here for over 2 decades. Other than Yogi the Bear we have deer, wild turkeys and all the usual stuff.

 

[RoseColored97]

A little bit of everything - in the last 3 or so months I have seen bobcats, skunks, racoons (tons of them!), mice, elk, deer, fox, rabbits, turkeys, Canadian geese, chipmunks, owls, cranes. We frequently get black bears.

 

[JulieBeeRN]

Bobcats, coyotes, deer, fox, squirrel, rabbits, owls, falcons, turkey vultures, wild turkey, geese, ducks, possum, rattlesnakes. And an occasional bald eagle, mountain lion and black bear passing through.

 

[nherbert]

From Australia, in my suburban backyard right now are two mummy wallabies (picture small kangaroos) both with babies in their pouches And on my Balcony are 30 cockatoos (white birds with yellow top notches) waiting for some birdseed.

 

[mom2rtk]

We have a family of foxes nearby. I have seen some on my walks. The neighbors clued me in on the babies earlier this year.

 

[nw6675]

The neighbors behind me. What's that saying about good fences make good neighbors....

On a serious note, birds, squirrels, deer, rabbit, and snakes mainly.

 

[bcla]

I think the big question should really be what aren't around. Wildlife adapt and pretty much every wild animal is still around other than species that went extinct.

But there are animals that have been extirpated in populous areas that used to be plentiful around here 150 years ago. Obviously the California grizzly bear is gone. And the American black bear is more or less gone in the suburbs, but still lives in the periphery of the San Francisco Bay Area. Even then, there are pockets of California suburbs where they regularly see bears, like the San Gabriel Valley.

 

[bcla]

From Australia, in my suburban backyard right now are two mummy wallabies (picture small kangaroos) both with babies in their pouches And on my Balcony are 30 cockatoos (white birds with yellow top notches) waiting for some birdseed.

The thing that would freak me out would be the venomous snakes. I know most people don't see them, but I'm told they are found in most suburbs but keep to themselves.

 

[Lord Manhammer]

I live in NJ and we regularly pick up our garbage from the driveway due to a nuisance juvenile black bear that is terrorizing us. My husband is in the fight of his life over his garbage cans and he’s an engineer so this is just unacceptable to him that he’s getting beat after living here for over 2 decades. Other than Yogi the Bear we have deer, wild turkeys and all the usual stuff.

We've had the black bears going after dumpsters, trash cans, and bird feeders. They can indeed be a nuisance, but at least they don't seem to be aggressive.

 

[Lord Manhammer]

The thing that would freak me out would be the venomous snakes. I know most people don't see them, but I'm told they are found in most suburbs but keep to themselves.

I'm going to India next year and the snakes and bugs have me a little nervous.

 

[bcla]

I'm going to India next year and the snakes and bugs have me a little nervous.

I've known a lot of people from India. Friends have told me that feral cobras are found in all major cities there.

 

[Lord Manhammer]

I've known a lot of people from India. Friends have told me that feral cobras are found in all major cities there.

thanks for the words of comfort. I'll wear armour while I'm there.

 

[bcla]

thanks for the words of comfort. I'll wear armour while I'm there.

Obviously it's important to be aware. The big danger in India is with farm workers who might come across them in fields. But venomous snakes are still found in cities.

 

[nherbert]

The thing that would freak me out would be the venomous snakes. I know most people don't see them, but I'm told they are found in most suburbs but keep to themselves.

While the snakes in Australia are very dangerous, people dying from snake bites are rare. We have to be careful in summer and mostly in the bush, they are extremely rare in backyards. If it makes you feel more positive about visiting Australia, death by sharks is more frequent than death by snakes (at least it seems that way based on the media) - so you just need to stay out of the water

 

[bcla]

While the snakes in Australia are very dangerous, people dying from snake bites are rare. We have to be careful in summer and mostly in the bush, they are extremely rare in backyards. If it makes you feel more positive about visiting Australia, death by sharks is more frequent than death by snakes (at least it seems that way based on the media) - so you just need to stay out of the water

We don't have them here in most of the San Francisco Bay Area, but we have bears in parts of California. I've mentioned bear encounters and that totally freaked out others including my in-laws. They think bears must be unrepentant killers, while in reality the American black is more likely a coward.

 

[John VN]

From Australia, in my suburban backyard right now are two mummy wallabies (picture small kangaroos) both with babies in their pouches And on my Balcony are 30 cockatoos (white birds with yellow top notches) waiting for some birdseed.

r.e. bold -- FYI for those living in America --

 

[Donnainnj]

This was today near me